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A Guide to Hbs A GUIDE TO HBS The Teachings and Practices of Honmon Butsuryu Shu By Nisso Ryoju Fukuoka Tranlated into English by Tadatoshi Izumoto Hisao Muto Nisso Fukuoka 2015 Honmon Butsuryu Shu Public Relations Bureau CONTENTS Part I The Teachings Of HBS 1. Outline of HBS 9 – The king of sutras, —The Lotus Sutra— 9 – What is HBS? 9 – What is the difference between HBS and the other sects? 10 – The difference between Buddhism and Christianity 10 – What is “NAMU‐MYOHO‐RENGE‐KYO" (Odaimoku)? 11 – Medical effectiveness of the “Odaimoku" 12 – Law of karma (The law of cause and effect regulating one's future life) 12 2. The Characteristics of HBS 14 – Religion to attain nirvana 14 – Chanting only the Odaimoku 15 – Pure Religion 16 – Importance of manifest Evidence 17 – Bodhisattva practice 17 3. Shakyamuni Buddha, Odaimoku, and Gohonzon 19 – The Eternal Buddha 19 – The reason for not displaying the figure of Shakyamuni Buddha 20 – The ways of writing Gohonzon 20 4. What are sins (Zaisho)? 22 – Explanation of sins by Buddhism 22 – How can the bad seeds be eradicated? 23 5. Inviting Happiness 24 – The micro world and macro world 25 6. AMentalism Preached by Buddhism 26 – The warehouse of mind, (Arayashiki) 26 – Arayashiki is a manufacturing mechanism of destiny 27 7. The Lotus Sutra and Genetic Engineering 28 – Information contained within The Genes 28 – What is this Something Great? 29 – Let me continue with the professor's dissertation 29 8. Correct Oneself by Analyzing Oneself 31 – Four kinds of sufferings and eight kinds of pains of life 31 – A true religion 31 – What is the “Right View"? 32 – The “World of Consciousness" from the standpoint of Buddhism? 32 9. Humans Possess Six Souls 33 – The ten realms of a soul 33 – Rebirth in the six worlds 34 10. Starting Point of The HBS Religion 35 – Possess a soul of a bodhisattva as master 35 – The soul that creates society 36 – To understand one‐self 36 11. Enlightenment 38 – The ten worlds possessed in the mind 38 – The realms of Buddha. The realms of an ordinary person 38 – Practices for attaining the stages of buddhahood 39 – The figure of the Gohonzon 39 – Theory on enlightenment based on the teaching of Nichiren Shonin 40 – Two Buddhas 42 – What is the substance of the Sacred Object (Myoho)? 43 – Chant the Odaimoku without doubt or thought 43 – Enter into religion by chanting the Odaimoku 43 12. Buddhism's Explanation of Life and Death 45 – Gazing at death 45 – Experience immediately after death 45 – Life between life 46 – What is a merit‐transference? 46 – Difference between virtuous wandering and wicked non‐wandering 46 – Medical doctors' experimental reports 47 – Memories of past world 47 – What were the results? 49 – Experiences of the past world drags on 49 13. Law of Karma 52 – Hypnosis therapy on past life 52 – What is the rule of karma? 52 14. Five Period Classification of the Buddha's Teachings by Great Master Tendai 55 - When were the sutras compiled? 55 - Larger and smaller vehicle teachings 56 - Smaller vehicle priests are nihilists? 57 - The path to bodhisattva elucidated by the large vehicle teachings 57 - Receiving visible merits is evidences of true buddhism 58 Part II How to Practice 1. Practices Performed by HBS 61 - Practice which can be performed by anyone 61 - Use of `the five sense‐organs' 62 - Chanting repeatedly is a Buddhist practice (training) 62 - Posture, chanting speed and method 62 - Chanting speed and method of striking the wooden clappers 63 2. One Session of The Fine Dharm 65 - Enactment of the One Session of the Fine Dharma (Myoko Ichiza) 65 - Reciting Attitude 63 - Composition of Myoko Ichiza 65 - Reciting Nyosetsu Shugyo Sho, Jinriki Hon, and Namukuon No Mon Nyosetsu Shugyo Sho 66 - The formula of the divine or Supernatural power of Tathagata (Nyorai Jinriki Hon) 66 - Homage Formula to the Buddha and the Saints (Namukuon no Mon) 66 3. How to O‐Kyuji (to adorn the altar, Gohonzon) 67 - Why are incense sticks offered? 67 - Why are floweres offered? 67 - What is the signifficance of candles? Why is a lamplight lit at all times? 67 - Why is the flint used? 68 - Why is the sound of a metal bell necessary? 68 - Why is water offered? 69 - Why are wooden xylophones and wooden clappers used? 69 - Why is cooked rice offered in Japan? 70 - Why is rosary held? 70 4. Why Is Worshipping Important ? 72 - Mind and Body 72 - An Oko activity is an important function of HBS 73 5. Donations (Fuse) , Offerings (Kuyo) 75 - The meaning of donations, offerings, and sustaining 75 - Attitude of mind is important 76 - Having an intention 77 6. Converting Others To The HBS Religion (Kyoke) 79 - The shortest path to receive merits 79 - Preparations required to convert others 80 - Nichiren affiliated sects 82 - Soka Gakkai (S.G.I) 83 - Christianity 83 - General rules of subduing when converting people of other religious sects 84 7. Disparaging The Dharma (Hobo) Is Unjust 87 - Do not hold things that look alike 87 - A Soul of Prudence is Needed to Avoid Disparaging the Dharma (Hobo) 88 - Use of imprudent words 88 Part III Q and A Session • Karma and destiny 91 • What is Dharma? 91 • About the scripture 92 • What is transmigration between the six realms 94 • Heaven and the Land of Tranquil Light 94 • The Eternal Buddha 94 • Differences between Buddhism and Christianity 95 • HBS's subject of worship 96 • Meaning of the Odaimoku 96 • The difference between Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism 97 • The realms after death 97 • Chanting the Odaimoku and reciting the Lotus Sutra 98 • Introspection into one's mind 98 • Nichiren Shonin's successor 98 • Invocation of the Buddha and Saints 98 • Accomplishments of Nichiryu Shonin 99 • Displaying of Nichiren Shonin's statue 99 • Mortuary Tablets 100 • Why is the statue of Nichiren Shonin black? 100 • Purpose for the cotton strips 101 • Meaning of offering mortuary tablet 101 • The Lotus Sutra, a savior for evil persons 101 • Have other Buddhas besides Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment? 102 • Are human beings originally an existence for enlightenment? 102 • Buddha of phenomena and noumena 103 • Benefits (Goriyaku) 103 • Is it true that spirits dwell in trees and paper? 104 • What are the differences between HBS's Gohonzon and Soka Gakkai's Gohonzon? 104 • To be protected by the Gohonzon 105 • Transference of merit 105 • What is Benefit (Goriyaku) of the soul? 106 • Illness can be cured by faith 106 • Why do belivers encounter accidents? 107 • Is Fuse a fee? 107 • Why does Buddha inflict penalties? 107 Part IV Selected Writings of Nissen Shonin • Invisible Merits 110 • A wish not granted is also a benefit 110 • One's faith will decline by not suppressing heretical teachings 110 • Praying for the promotion of the Lotus Sutra and the converting of others 110 • By receiving visible merits one's religious practices will deepen • Techniques for propagating HBS religion 111 • Complaints about not receiving rewards 111 • Rely on the Odaimoku and do not deplore the world 111 • The purpose of oko 111 • A sermon is like partaking of a meal 111 • Listening to sermons is a great merit 112 • Knowing it and not doing it 112 • The Gohonzon first and foremost 112 • Reverence is through action 112 • Serve the priest 112 • To Buddha Measly monetary contribution. To children large sums 113 • Attaining good fortune 113 • Offerings to priests 113 • What is reviling the Dharma? 113 • Why are people without religion not punished? 113 • Pray diligently 114 • Prayer for a wish 114 • To develop new recruits is most important 114 • Destiny exists in oneself and not in heaven 114 • Bad mouthing is a sin 114 • Know your Foolishness and remove it 114 • To loan or borrowing money is forbidden 115 • Devout life 115 • The Gohonzon and Nichiren Shonin's statue as living exists 115 • Offer prayer and chant the Odaimoku only 115 • The Path to Survival by Oneself 115 • The Odaimoku is a cleaner, sin is filter 115 • Chanting the Odaimoku 116 • Reciting the sutra is reviling the Fine Dharma 116 • Chant the Odaimoku without doubt or thought 117 • Enter the faith by chanting the Odaimoku 117 • Chant and listen 117 • Submitting to the true teachings of “Shakubuku" 117 • Verbal attack is a great Sin 118 • Odaimoku (Myohorengekyo) what reality is 118 • Three treasures in a period without the Buddha 118 • The sacred object (Myoho) is living 118 • Selection of the sacred object 119 • Two Buddhas 119 • What is substance of the sacred object (Myoho)? 119 Part I The Teachings Of HBS 1 Outline of HBS The king of sutras, —The Lotus Sutra— uddhism is a religion based on the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni, who was born in India 2600 years ago. Today in Japan, Buddhism is divided into hundreds of different sects because of the various sutras. For fifty years, Buddha continuously preached his teachings to innumerable Bpeople. His teachings, taught through various periods and in different regions, were later consolidated and edited into textbooks. These textbooks have been preserved and handed down to our generation. There is no uniformity in the contents of Buddha's diverse sutras. Each separate sutra tells what one should believe in, how it should be practiced, how matters should be looked at, and how it should be thought out. The contents of each sutra differ because each and every sutra is applied to each individual's situation, one's circumstances;one's sufferings, or capabilities. Each sutra preached by Buddha is a worthy teaching. After Buddha's death, Buddhism spread from India into China, to Southeast Asia and to Japan. During this period of transition, the various Buddhist preachers could not decide upon which sutra was the most important.
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